Posted on 10/31/2001 5:52:37 AM PST by PhiKapMom
Rumsfeld: from cheerful to angry
2001-10-31
By Paul M. Weyrich
I have known Don Rumsfeld for more than 30 years. As a congressman, he represented the northern suburbs of Chicago. He left the House when Richard Nixon offered him the chance to run the Office of Economic Opportunity. Later, when Gerald R. Ford became president, he named Rumsfeld to be his chief of staff and later appointed him to be his secretary of defense. When Ford left office, Rumsfeld threw himself into the private sector with exceptional enthusiasm.
He even mounted a barely remembered campaign for president because, as he told me, it was a fun thing to do. He became secretary of defense again for George W. Bush as a compromise candidate.
During all this time he was the kind of person who was constantly cheerful. He always had a twinkle in his eye. Just before Sept. 11, when he was being sliced and diced by the U.S. political and journalistic community as he attempted to "transform" the country's national defense, he never lost his perspective and sense of humor.
That outlook on life also shaped his outlook on politics. He didn't disagree with the conservative movement so much on philosophical grounds. For Rumsfeld, many of us were too negative. Life was supposed to be enjoyed. Nothing could be all that serious. That is why when I see Secretary Rumsfeld looking angry at various press conferences, and I hear even Fox News Network anchormen complaining that Rumsfeld is "cranky," then I know something is really seriously wrong.
From Rumsfeld's perspective, he simply cannot understand how Pentagon operatives can leak critical information to the news media when our Special Forces are conducting field operations in Afghanistan. He has said he is too busy right now to track down who did it but he made it clear that whoever leaked the information had committed a criminal act.
"Whoever is doing this is putting the lives of men and women in our forces on the ground at risk," Rumsfeld said over and over again. He seemed to grow more upset every time he mentioned the issue.
Another matter troubling Rumsfeld is that some in the media appear intent on compromising the safety of our armed forces by the kind of questions they ask. The secretary has made it clear that he simply will not reply to those kinds of questions. It may not have been that important to Rumsfeld while it was happening, but the culture has changed in the time between his past and present service as defense secretary.
The attitude of many reporters and many staffers in the bureaucracy is simply this: They don't care about what is important to the defense of the country. What they do care about is what advances their agenda. A Pentagon staffer thinks that by leaking secret information it will cause him to accumulate some brownie points with influential members of the media. And those in the media are always looking for headlines and ratings. Competition is fierce. Whatever gets these reporters on the front page or causes the TV reporters to get a talent fee for making a prime time news hour matters most. To hell with whether their story compromises our armed forces or the salvation of the nation.
Well, I'm for Rumsfeld. He is absolutely entitled to his outrage. I hope he continues to explain why he is upset to the American people. They need to know that there are people in the government and in the media who would sell out America. Who better to tell it like it is than Rumsfeld who is proving to be an extraordinary defense secretary; born, it would seem, for this moment.
Weyrich is president of the Free Congress Foundation in Washington, D.C.
This war is not a charade. Live reports from Afghanistan show the US pounding the hell out of Taliban front lines. The Northern Alliance reports the US is pounding the hell out of the Taliban front lines.
I like how this WAR is going; it's going quite well. There is no such thing as an "add-water-stir-Instant War", so can it, vedicstar. They may have laughed before September 11, but their own offers to the US, and the fact that they are hiding show that they've been shaking in their boots ever since.
Oh? You have inside information?
Well we all are entitled to an opinion. But you are correct this is different than seeing a general on tv every night with his pointer to show where the bombs fell and what bridge got hit. Different plan, imo or there would be a Commanding Field Gen. doing just like Storming Norman did, holding press conferences. One thing is for sure, time will tell whether it's a charade or not.
Go pound sand. You are not here to offer serious criticism, you are just here to sow dissent. I don't care if moslems laugh at us. That is their perogative. I wish to make it clear to them that there is a serious price to be paid for engaging in terrorism against this country or harboring terrorist. That lesson is being taught at the moment and is only starting. Your MTV-addled brain expects instant gratification, and your exceedingly shallow intellect cannot grasp the subtleties of the ongoing events.
vedicstar is an armchair corporal. For the other side.
Perhaps congratulations are in order. He apparently got promoted for his hit and run attacks. I bet he is still giggling.
He got promoted because there just happens to be a lot of vacant positions recently.
Don't worry, you'll be able to catch the re-run here on FR, I'm certain. The pre-Internet media would've been able to sweep an arse-chewing under the rug, but not any more!
IMHO, I think Donald Rumsfeld is deserving of the *old* job title: Secretary of War. It just seems more fitting.
"Well, I'm for Rumsfeld. He is absolutely entitled to his outrage. I hope he continues to explain why he is upset to the American people. They need to know that there are people in the government and in the media who would sell out America."
IMO, that last line needs to spoken loud and long..!!
BTW, it's Rumsfeld, not Rumsfield. Made the same mistake myself......easy to do.
Nice article, nice post.
Best FRegards,
Uh, I believe the time is right now! Or does he think he should wait until they betray us again and possibly get someone killed?
I am for Rumsfeld too !! I cannot even watch these briefings anymore due to getting to d#@# mad at the reporters and there a$#@#inine questions. I have often thought to myself, one of the major reasons we won in WW11 was because the reporters were informed after the fact of military operations.
As an American citizen I don't care how many lb bombs are being dropped, I dont' care what exact location, I don't care how many miles from here to there, I say let the guys in the military do their job and God Bless them. The only people that want all this info is the reporters, not any people I know.
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